There are more than 3,000 types of spiders found in North America alone. Of those, some are more likely to be encountered in our homes than others. Browse this slideshow for information on the habits and threats of 5 common spiders in the United States. Click here to find out more.

You hear a high-pitched buzz in your ear and you know it…a mosquito is in your midst. On any given summer day, countless mosquitoes could be buzzing around your al fresco dinner or early morning jog.

Despite their high annoyance factor, not all mosquitoes are out for blood; only the females are, explains Joseph M. Conlon, a mosquito expert with the American Mosquito Control Association. “Female mosquitoes imbibe blood as a protein source for egg development,” Conlon says.

When the female mosquito “bites” you, she inserts the tip of her mouth into one of your blood vessels, injecting her saliva into your bloodstream. The saliva includes a protein that prevents your blood from clotting as she eats. (Ick.) It’s these proteins, not the bite, that cause the swelling, redness, and itching that some—but not all—of us experience.

Here’s what your specific reaction says about you:

Reaction: None

What it looks like: Zip, nada, nothing
What it means: A nonreaction could mean you’re one of the lucky few who aren’t allergic to mosquito saliva, says Andrew Murphy, MD, a fellow at the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. It also could mean you’ve developed an immunity to mosquito bites. “When a person has had repeated exposure to the mosquito allergen, her immune system can stop recognizing the allergen as a problem, and there is no reaction,” Murphy says.

Reaction: Small red bump

What it looks like: Round, white-ish bump, often with a small visible dot at the center; becomes red and firm after 1 or 2 days
What it means: This is the most common reaction to a mosquito bite, says Jorge Parada, MD, medical director of the Infection Control Program at Loyola University Chicago and medical advisor for the National Pest Management Association. “This minor allergic reaction is in response to proteins in the mosquito’s saliva.”
Reaction: Welts
What it looks like: Slightly raised, smooth, flat-topped bumps that are usually more reddish than the surrounding skin
What it means: Some people are more sensitive to the mosquito’s proteins, explains Parada. This sensitivity causes them to react with larger welts instead of the traditional small bump. “However, some studies have found that the reaction is also a function of the mosquito’s feeding time,” says Parada. “The longer the mosquito feeds, the more mosquito proteins are released, thereby increasing the chance of a visible reaction.” A study by 23andMe found there might also be a connection between a person’s genetic makeup and the severity of her reaction.

Reaction: Hives and fever (a.k.a. “skeeter syndrome”)

What it looks like: Welts accompanied by skin swelling, heat, redness, and itching or pain, along with a fever
What it means: You may have “skeeter syndrome,” a more extreme allergic reaction to a mosquito bite. It can lead to excessive swelling of the bite site and the area feeling hot and hard to the touch. Sometimes the bite site can even blister and ooze. While anyone can develop skeeter syndrome (even those with no prior extreme reaction to mosquito bites), Murphy says young children, patients with immune system disorders, and travelers exposed to new types of mosquitoes are at a higher risk.
Reaction: Anaphylaxis
What it looks like: Hives, lip/tongue swelling, trouble breathing, wheezing, coughing
What it means: While anaphylaxis from mosquito bites is rare, it can be fatal. “Patients with anaphylaxis to mosquitoes will have the typical symptoms of a severe allergic reaction,” Murphy says. He mentions hives, lip or tongue swelling, trouble breathing, wheezing, coughing, and—in severe cases—passing out or death. “Treatment is the use of injectable epinephrine and seeking immediate medical care,” he adds.

5 Tips to Enjoy a Pest-Free Backyard BBQ

With the welcome arrival of long sunny days, people across the country will be gathering outdoors to partake in summertime fun. However, nothing ruins a backyard barbecue like pests! To learn about how you can stave off mosquitoes,ants and stinging insects, BROWSE THIS SLIDESHOW of tips.

By following these tips, you and your guests can enjoy all summer has to offer without feeling bugged! If you continuously notice pest problems in your backyard, call us to properly identify the problem and determine the best course of treatment.

FEATURES – TECHNICIAN TRAINING

Tips and techniques to help you gain control and manage resistance. (pctonline.com)

Editor’s Note: The following article originally appeared in the September/October 2014 issue of PCT Canada, sponsored by Univar.

When it comes to commercial kitchens and food-handling facilities, cockroaches are the most prolific, adaptable and determined pest. They reproduce rapidly, eat almost any organic substance, and thrive in hard-to-reach cracks and crevices that offer warmth and humidity.

German cockroaches are the most common species found in food-handling establishments. Others include the American cockroach and brownbanded cockroach.

Inspection Pointers.

German cockroaches generally harbor in the cracks and crevices of warm, wet locations. Although they prefer fermented food spills, they will consume just about anything, ranging from food crumbs, grease and spilled beer to soiled clothing and dried glue.

Sanitation is essential to control these pests. During your inspection, identify signs of cockroach activity and harborage areas. Because your control program likely will involve baits, consider the many alternative food sources available. Most important, find their sources of water, such as standing puddles and condensation on pipes and appliances. Frozen items placed on metal countertops cause condensation on the undersides of these surfaces; combined with the gaps in countertop joints, this makes for an ideal German cockroach habitat.

Commercial kitchen equipment, with its multitude of cracks, seams, folds and holes, are cockroach havens. Carefully inspect prep counters, ovens, dishwashers, beer and soda fountains, and mixers. Evaluate the rubber door seals of coolers and refrigerators that can crack and peel over time, providing harborage. Another problem area: stainless steel splashboards that have separated from walls. Check that escutcheon plates around plumbing pipes are secure and that no gaps exist around electrical conduits that run between cabinets and walls or floors.

Educate the client on the importance of maintaining equipment and site cleanliness; document the repairs and maintenance needed to help control cockroach populations.

Want to learn more about pest management in food service facilities? Then you’ll want to check out a PCT Podcast featuring John Cooksey, vice president of operations, McCall Service, and co-author of the “Pest Management in Food Service Facilities” chapter of the PCT Guide to Commercial Pest Management. Visitwww.pctonline.com/Cooksey-pest-management-food-service-facilities-podcast.aspx to listen to the podcast.

Use monitoring traps high and low in as many areas as possible. These monitors will help you identify the extent and relative direction of German cockroach harborage areas. For example, if you are finding nymphs on one side of a trap, you likely have a harborage area within a few inches of that side. If you find adults on one side, the harborage area is on that side but potentially a little further away. If you’re finding all stages of cockroaches on all sides, you’re probably dealing with multiple harborage areas.

Document your findings, actions and recommendations, and create a detailed site map. Include your schedule for applying bait treatments. This is especially helpful in large kitchens with many treatment zones. The schedule will help a technician who services the account monthly ensure that quarterly baiting is accomplished, without having to spend excessive time baiting all areas during one visit.

Treatment Options.

In severe infestations, use mechanical means to reduce population numbers, such as using a HEPA vacuum. Flush out hiding pests by applying a liquid flushing agent/contact aerosol to harborage areas; suck up emerging cockroaches with the vacuum.

Commercial Pest Management Book a ‘Must-Have’ Technical ResourceThe PCT Guide to Commercial Pest Management, written by current and past members of the Copesan Technical Committee, is a valuable technical resource devoted to educating PMPs about how to treat a wide array of commercial accounts. Each chapter in this guide focuses on a specific type of account — from multi-family housing and food-processing plants to retail stores and health-care facilities — providing a quick reference for all those involved in commercial pest management. With this guide, readers will learn how to better protect food, property, and public health in commercial accounts.

“While there are many industry books on pests and pest management, there seemed to be a void in addressing the specifics of commercial accounts, particularly as related to some of the less common accounts, such as zoos, museums and transportation vehicles,” said Editor Lisa Lupo.

The book is intended to be used as a resource for commercial account training or as a quick reference/ resource as opposed to a book that is read cover-to-cover in a few sittings. Each chapter is written as a stand-alone resource, focusing on one aspect of commercial service or one type of account. So if a technician is working a health-care facility, warehouse or even a zoo, for the first time — or simply wants a refresher — these chapters provide an excellent opportunity for self or classroom training.

Another highlight of the book is a full-color photo section, with photos by Tom Myers, along with “actual-size” measurement bars, providing technicians with a resource for identifying common insects and other pests found in commercial accounts. Additionally, the photos are cross-referenced in a detailed Pest Identification chapter by urban entomologist Dr. Eric Smith.

Heat treatments can provide quick knockdown of large populations. Be sure to protect heat-sensitive items. Only trained, experienced individuals should attempt heat treatments.

These approaches don’t provide long-term or residual control; the use of cockroach baits and/or liquid residual sprays is required.Baits — Gel and containerized baits rely on various active ingredients. For long-term control, choose one that is effective and palatable. Also rotate the use of active ingredients, not merely brands that may contain the same active ingredient, to prevent the pests from becoming insecticide resistant.

Generally baits are applied in small doses near harborage areas, not on exposed surfaces (always read the label before application). Be careful not to contaminate bait by applying it near repellent dusts or liquid residuals. Place sticky traps near baiting areas to determine if cockroaches are visiting the area enough to justify placing the bait there. Inform your client and his or her cleaning staff what bait looks like so it is not accidentally removed.Dusts — Dusts can be applied to cracks and crevices where cockroaches hide; applied correctly, they generally last for months. Dusts take longer to work than liquid residuals because they are desiccants and require grooming to be effective, but they offer a long-term control solution.

Dusts containing boric acid or diatomaceous earth have minimal toxicity and are non-repellent, but lose effectiveness if they get wet. Insecticide dusts generally are repellent and have stricter labels; some remain effective after being exposed to water. Read product labels and consult your distributor representative to determine the best dust for your account.

Proper application of dust is essential. Ensure your training is up to date; practice application techniques.Liquid Residuals — Several factors must be considered before selecting a liquid residual spray. First, is it labeled for use in commercial food-handling establishments? Carefully review the label: Does the client need to prepare the site (e.g., cover food-handling surfaces) before application? Is the product for crack and crevice application only? Are any post-treatment steps (e.g., wiping down countertops) required?

Then, select a product that will stand up to the environment. For example, accounts with a lot of greasy buildup need a chemical that will remain effective; spotless kitchens will have more options.

Choose between a repellent and non-repellent product. A repellent product may work best at an account with very little cockroach activity and little bait use. A non-repellent is best suited for kitchens where baits are used more frequently.

Finally, insecticide products that contain an Insect Growth Regulator (IGR) offer long-term control. While baits, dusts and liquid sprays kill great numbers of cockroaches, the IGR prevents survivors from breeding.
This article was adapted from the PCT Guide to Commercial Pest Management, Chapter 17: Pest Management in Food Service Facilities by John Cooksey of McCall Service, and Victoria Fickle, Hawaii State Department of Agriculture, Pesticide Branch.

Now that spring has finally arrived, and the weather conditions are beginning to improve along the east coast, many homeowners will be spending the next couple of weekends tackling their spring cleaning to-do lists. If you are one of these people, make sure that you address the pest hot spots around your home in between wiping down the windows and shampooing the rugs.

Here’s a handy room-by-room guide of specific things to do to keep pests at bay this spring.

Kitchen

Ants, among other common pests, are known to infest kitchen spaces because this room provides easy access to food and water sources. They often march one-by-one through the heart of the home while searching for crumbs left behind from dinner, sticky residue from liquid spills and overripe fruit sitting out on the countertop. Although you may make a concerted effort to keep the kitchen clean on a daily basis, there are still a few other projects you can do to make it less attractive to pests.

First, remove all of the items from your cabinets and pantry. Go through them and discard of stale spices and other dated items such as flour. These baking ingredients attract pantry pests, including several types of beetles, Indian meal moths and ants. Next, wipe down the inside of your cabinets and install fresh shelf paper. Then, pull out your appliances from the wall as much as possible and vacuum behind them. You might be surprised how much dust, dirt and crumbs you find! Lastly, give the kitchen counter and floor a good scrub-down. Wash them with a sponge and a squirt of dishwashing liquid mixed in a bucket of warm water.

Bathroom

Many pests like cockroaches and silverfish are attracted to moisture, so they are commonly found in bathrooms. Eliminating sources of water in the bathroom is the best way to prevent pest infestations, especially because this pest can only survive for one week without water. In addition to washing the shower curtain and liner, and cleaning out the medicine cabinet, you should check under the sink and around the tub and toilet to ensure there are no moisture issues from leaky pipes or faucets.

Basement

Rodents, spiders and a slew of other pests can make themselves at home in the basement. The main reason that pests often take up refuge in this underground space is because this room tends to harbor dark corners and clutter, which provides the ideal place for rodents and spiders to hide. Take some time to go through your valuables and eliminate clutter where possible. Steer clear from using cardboard boxes to store items, using plastic bins with secure lids instead. You should also be sure to seal any cracks or crevices with a silicone-based caulk that pests could use to enter your home. Remember, mice can fit through an opening the size of a dime and other small insects need only a paper-thin crack to gain entry.

Outdoor Space

Once you complete your list of tasks inside, conduct an audit of your home’s perimeter, taking stock of any damage done over the winter months. Start on the roof by repairing fascia and rotted roof shingles, as some insects are drawn to deteriorating wood. Then, clean out clogged gutters and downspouts to ensure they are properly functioning before the April showers roll in. You may also find you need to repair ripped screens, replace weather-stripping and repair loose mortar around the foundation and windows.

When landscaping, don’t forget to trim bushes and branches away from the home to prevent easy access for pests to move indoors. Also, remove rotted tree stumps and keep mulch at least 15 inches away from the home’s foundation – both of which could be magnets for termites.

The Bottom Line

The arrival of warm weather brings with it a renewed energy needed to tackle home improvements. Take advantage of this to maintain a healthy living environment for your family and deter pests from infesting your living space this spring.

Powassan (POW) virus is a Flavivirus related to West Nile, St. Louis encephalitis, and other Tick-borne encephalitis viruses. The virus is named after Powassan, Ontario, where the first recognized case of disease was discovered in 1958.

Humans become infected with Powassan virus from the bite of an infected tick. Fortunately, Powassan virus is only rarely transmitted to humans. Typically infection is transmitted in a cycle to and from ticks and small mammals such as woodchucks, skunks, squirrels and white footed mice.

Symptoms of Powassan Virus

Powassan virus is most common in eastern Canada and the north central United States (fig 1). Approximately 60 human cases of the most severe form of infection, neuroinvasive Powassan virus disease, were reported in the United States over the past 10 years, where most cases have occurred in the Northeast and Great Lakes region (Fig 1). However, these numbers may be misleading. Serologic surveys have found an antibody prevalence of 1 to 4 percent, indicating that asymptomatic infection is common.

Like most tick-borne diseases, infection mostly occurs during the warm summer moths from June to September.

Powassan encephalitis generally shows first symptoms after 1-3 weeks. Typically, people do not recall the tick bite. The tick is small and easy to miss and, unlikeLyme disease where the tick needs to feed for 24-48 hours before transmitting infection, Powassan virus may be transmitted in as little as 15 minutes of attachment.

Signs and symptoms of infection can include fever, headache, vomiting, generalized weakness, confusion, seizures, and memory loss. The Powassan virus infects the central nervous system and can cause encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) and meningitis (inflammation of the membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord). This manifests itself as a painful or stiff neck, altered mental status, confusion, seizures, aphasia (inability to speak), tingling and numbness, movement disorders, or cranial nerve palsies (paralysis of the muscles of the face and eyes). Unfortunately, 10-15% of Powassan virus encephalitis cases are fatal and long-term neurologic problems are common. In persons with full-blown Powassan infection, approximately half of survivors have permanent neurological symptoms, such as recurrent headaches, paralysis, muscle wasting and memory problems.

Treatment and Prevention of Powassan Virus

There is no specific treatment, but people with severe Powassan virus illnesses often need to be hospitalized to receive respiratory support, intravenous fluids, or medications to reduce swelling in the brain.

Because there is no vaccine or specific therapy for Powassan encephalitis, the best way to combat POW infection is prevention. Of course, the best means of prevention is protection from tick bite. This includes avoiding walking through tall grass and vegetation, wearing light-colored clothing with long sleeves and pants tucked into socks or boots, as well as clearing brushy areas from around your home. Insect repellants are effective against ticks and are recommended. The best chemical protection against ticks consists of permethrin-treated clothing and gear, combined with DEET applied to exposed skin. It is also important to remove ticks before they attach or as soon after attachment as possible.

Remember to check family pets for ticks to help prevent ticks from entering the home. Environmental controls to reduce human contact with small and medium-sized mammals should reduce risk for exposure to Powassan virus-infected ticks. Persons should keep areas adjacent to their home clear of brush, weeds, trash, and other elements that could support small and medium-sized mammals. When removing rodent nests, avoid direct contact with nesting materials and use sealed plastic bags for disposal and to prevent direct contact with ticks.

Spring-Green Lawn Care – www.spring-green.com

Deer are primarily a problem in rural areas or near forest preserves. Squirrels, on the other hand, can be a problem in the city, suburbs, or the country. They have adapted to city life very well, and can be a major annoyance in terms of grass and lawn care. They will dig up your bulbs, eat all the birdseed you put out, dig holes in your lawn, chew a hole into your attic, make a mess of your garden, harass your dog, and are generally a nuisance. They can also be very cute when they hold a piece of food in their little paws and delicately nibble at it.

Here are answers to some typical questions you may have when you’re trying to control squirrels:

What are the common squirrels species I should look out for?

The most common squirrels are the gray and black species. They mainly inhabit trees and build their ‘nests’ in the crotch of large trees. They may be cute to watch, but they can be annoying and destructive in their search for food and shelter. Since they can cause a variety of problems, it is difficult to give one yard control method that will work in every situation. As with deer problems, it is often best to implement several different approaches instead of relying on one.

How do I prevent squirrels from hurting my home and landscape?

The first thing to do is to try to prevent their access to the area they are disrupting. If they are getting into the attic or storage shed, try removing any over-hanging branches that may give them easy access to the structure. The same is true for any decorative trim that would also allow access. If they are gaining access across utility or phone lines, there are cone-shaped shields that can be attached to the wire. Some of the commercially-available squirrel repellent products leave a sticky residue on ledges to discourage their entry into an attic or other structure. Other products are placed inside the structure and aid in keeping the squirrels outside.

What do I do if squirrels are on the inside of my house or walls?

If squirrels do gain access to an attic or other structure, they can do a lot of damage. They will rip up furniture, gnaw at windowsills, rip apart curtains, and generally make a mess of everything. They are most active in the early morning (4a.m. to 7a.m.) and late afternoon (5p.m. to 8p.m.). They can be heard scurrying about at these times, causing mischief and mayhem. It may require the use of a live trap in these situations. There are many animal removal services and they can assist in the removal process. Live traps may be rented from many rental companies or villages. Relocation should occur at least five miles away from the point of capture to prevent them from coming back. Be sure to release them in an area where they will not become a problem for another homeowner. Pick a forest preserve or natural area and release them there.

How do I stop squirrels from eating birdseed from my birdfeeders?

Devouring all the birdseed that is put out for the birds is one of the biggest problems with squirrels. They are voracious eaters and will gorge themselves on the feed, especially if the mix contains sunflower seeds. There are many squirrel-proof feeders available, but they are expensive. Prices are more than $75, and are usually purchased by serious bird lovers. Mixing pepper-based additives into the seed mix will act as a deterrent and not affect the birds. Be careful when adding the product as it is very hot, and will cause a burning sensation in the eyes or mouth.

Is there a way to make squirrels stop digging up my landscape?

Another problem with squirrels is digging up grass and feeding on landscape or vegetable gardens plants. Pepper sprays can be used in these situations. Some other sprays have a foul odor or taste, which will act as a deterrent. Check the labels of these yard care products to make sure they can be used on edible plants. Visual repellents are usually not very effective. Squirrels normally ignore them. To prevent them from digging up garden bulbs in your yard, place chicken wire over the area. Bury the fence about an inch underground. The plants will grow through the holes in the fence, but the squirrels cannot get through the netting. Be sure the holes are at least an inch in size to allow the plants to grow through it.

Squirrels can be entertaining, but more often they are a nuisance. As was mentioned with deer, squirrels are part of the environment. It is impractical to attempt to eliminate them. Reducing the amount of the yard damage they cause and putting up with a certain amount of their lifestyle is the best scenario. And they are cute!

Two of the most destructive species of invasive termites are joining forces in Florida. By mating together, they’re forming prolific hybrid colonies. Scientists are now worried about the potential damage these insects will inflict on Florida’s dwellings.

In total, entomologists have catalogued over 2,800 termite species, but only 6% of are classified as pests to human structures. It’s estimated that termites cause upwards of $40 billion in damage each year.

Among the most notorious termite pests are China’s Formosan subterranean termites (Coptotermes formosanus) and the tropical Asian subterranean termites (Coptotermes gestroi). Both of these species have been introduced to Taiwan, Hawaii, and south Florida on account of human activity. These bugs hail from the same genus, Coptotermes, but they evolved separately and haven’t interacted for thousands of years. However, despite evolving in separate ecological niches, these termites have retained the ability to interbreed.

Hybridization among native species is a common occurrence, but interbreeding between two invaders is rare. University of Florida at Fort Lauderdale entomologist Thomas Chouvenc and his colleagues are now extremely worried about the synergistic effects produced by the intermingling of these two foreign species.

Termites are similar to bees and ants in that they’re social insects. Their colonies consist of queens and kings, who are in charge of reproduction; workers, who supply everyone with food and maintain the nest; and soldiers, who protect the colony. Scientists thought that the two species had distinct swarming seasons — the time of year when alates establish new colonies. Shockingly, however, C. formosanus and C. gestroi now appear to have overlapping swarming seasons. This overlap means that the two most destructive termites in the world now have the opportunity to interbreed.

Compounding the problem is the observation that the Asian termite males prefer to breed with Formosan females. This is increasing the risk of hybridization.

This worries the researchers who say the combination of genes results in highly vigorous hybridized colonies that can develop twice as fast as the two parental species.

The new hybrid colonies are expected to inflict serious damage to south Florida homes and businesses in the near future. The researchers also worry that the hybrids could eventually make their way out of Florida.

The researchers don’t know if a hybrid colony can produce fertile and fully functional alates for maintaining future hybrid colonies. Because of their long life cycle, it could take 5 to 8 years before colonies mature in the lab and in the field. Further work will be required.

That said, and in the words of the researchers:

Coptotermes mature colonies can contain millions of individuals and live up to 20 yrs and even in the absence of alate hybrid fertility, the persistence of hybrid colonies in urban environments would still present a threat to structures.

In other words, “a kick from a mule is as good as a kick from a donkey.”

Images: Chouvenc et al.

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FAIRFAX, Va. (January 27, 2015) – The Professional Pest Management Alliance (PPMA), which serves as the public outreach arm of the National Pest Management Association (NPMA), has unveiled a new game section on its children’s website,PestWorldForKids.org. This marks the completion of an extensive design overhaul to the educational hub that began last year.

“When PestWorldForKids.org was redesigned, the original games no longer functioned across all platforms for the average user,” said Missy Henriksen, executive director for PPMA. “Since the games have always been a favorite feature on the site among both kids and teachers, the next phase in the process was to update the most popular games and introduce new, interactive gaming options for children in grades K through 8.”

PPMA worked with a third-party game developer to design three new games to help children learn about bugs, understand what makes them pests and attracted to homes, and how to effectively handle certain pest problems. Bug Builder is an elementary game where players can build their own bug species by combining different body parts and adding fun accessories like sunglasses and hats. Sort the Bugs features four games in one that test players’ ultimate pest control skills, as they race against the clock to get rid of specific pests. Crush That Bug is a more challenging puzzle game where players are tasked with matching three or more pests in any direction to prevent an infestation.

In addition, PPMA converted three existing games – Pest Detectives, Pest Rangers and Archibald’s Adventure – from Flash to HTML5 design to ensure compatibly with both desktop computers and mobile devices.

“Not only are these games a great activity for children to play after school or on the weekends, but they are also a valuable tool for teachers to incorporate into lesson plans and use inside the classroom,” added Henriksen. “Whether at home or school, we are thrilled to provide children with a fun, safe environment to play, learn and explore the world of bugs, rodents, wildlife and all things pests.”

One noticeable change in the outdoors as winter approaches is the absence of flying insects such as mosquitoes, flies, and bees. We associate these pests with summer and fall, a nuisance to outdoor activities, and are thankful that the colder weather brings relief from their stings and bites. But a lack of flying pests does not mean a lack of all pests during the winter.

Whereas mosquitoes and bees were flying overhead in the summer, mice, cockroaches, and spiders could be crawling underfoot during the winter. These pests are seeking shelter from the cold, and unfortunately our warm homes seem cozy to them too. It is important to take preventative measures to keep pests out because they can cause more hazards than just cobwebs in the corner. Rodentsare known to carry diseases such as Salmonella and Hantavirus, certain spiderscan bite, causing serious side effects, and cockroaches can be a trigger forasthma and allergies.

Seal cracks and holes on the outside of your home to help prevent rodents from getting inside. Be sure to check the areas where utilities and pipes enter the home. A mouse can fit through a hole the size of a dime.

Replace loose mortar and weather stripping around the basement foundation and windows.

Store firewood at least 20 feet from the home. Mice and ants can make their nests in wood piles and easily gain access to your home if the pile is nearby.

Rodents can hide in clutter, so keep storage areas well organized, and store boxes off of the floor.

Eliminate all moisture sites, including leaking pipes and clogged drains. Extra attention should be paid to kitchens and bathrooms as these areas are particularly vulnerable to cockroach infestations.

Winter brings enough worry about home damage with wind, snow and frost. Following these tips will help reduce the likelihood of your home experiencing other seasonal problems due to pests. When winter pests are kept outdoors, your home becomes a healthier place to host holiday parties and spend time with family, and that is what the season should be all about.

If you suspect you have a pest infestation, contact us as soon as possible.